Pillars of Islam

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Islam


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Vocabulary of Islam
Index of articles on Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam is the term given to "the five duties incumbent on every Muslim". These duties are shahadah (profession of faith), salat (ritual prayer), zakat (alms tax), sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).[1]

Shahadah

The first (and most important) Pillar of Islam is the affirmation of the shahadah (شهادة, "witness"),[2] a concise credal statement that summarizes the essentials of Muslim belief in a single line: "ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh" ("I testify that there is no god (ilah) but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah"). It should be noted that Muslims of the Shi'a school append the phrase "... and Ali is the Friend of God" to the shahadah, reflecting their slightly disparate understanding of divine revelation.[3]

This pithy faith statement functions as the foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. It is a major component of all prayers (discussed below) and, when sincerely believed and internalized, represents conversion to the Islamic faith: Ideally, it is thought to book-end the believer's life, as it should be the first thing a newborn will hear and will be recited to them at the time of death.[4] It, perhaps more than any of the other pillars, represents the extent to which Islam is centered upon a submission to (and rededication of one's life towards) the Divine:

The shahadah must be repeated and lived until the implicit realization has penetrated to the center of [the believer's] being, until through concentration upon the truth, and virtue, the individual substance is transformed and itself made adequate to the truth.[5]

Salat

The second pillar of Islam is salat ("prayer", "worship")[6] the requirement to perform five daily prayers at fixed times during the day.[7] Each salah is performed facing towards the Kabah in Mecca, the symbolic center of the faith, and consists of "a set pattern of recitations and bodily movements repeated a set number of times."[8] Salah is intended to focus the mind on Allah; it is seen as a personal communication with the Divine, expressing the believer's gratitude and reverence. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer "restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds".[9] While salah is compulsory, some flexibility is allowed depending on an individual's particular circumstances.[10] For example in the case of sickness or lack of space, a worshiper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when traveling.[11]

The salah must be performed in the Arabic language to the best of each worshiper's ability. if he or she cannot speak Arabic, then the native language can be used, although any extra prayers (du'a) said afterwards need not be in Arabic. The lines of prayer are to be recited by heart (although beginners may use written aids), and the worshiper's body and clothing, as well as the place of prayer, must be cleansed. All prayers should be conducted within the prescribed time period (waqt) and with the appropriate number of units (raka'ah).[12] While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to begin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer is heard.[13]

Ritual Purity

The importance of ritual purity (tahir) to a practicing Muslim is evidenced by the Prophet’s statement that "the key to paradise is prayer [salat] and the key to prayer is purification."[14] Indeed, if one has been defiled, they are prohibited from taking part in any ritual observances: though "purification is not a part of the ritual of worship itself," it is "preliminary to most acts of Islamic practice."[15] The ablutions that must be performed to achieve this state of purity can be divided into two categories: wudu and ghusl. The former consists of a ritualized washing, during which the Muslim must wet a series of body parts and recite a number of Shahadas in sequence.[16] The later is a ritualized bath whereby the entire body is washed according to a ritual formula, and with a properly pious mindset.[17]

Zakah

Zakah, or alms-giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.[18] Zakah consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors, travelers, and others. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward.[19]

There are two main types of zakah. First, there is the zakah on traffic, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents. Second, there is the zakat on wealth, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on.[20] In current usage zakat is treated as a 2.5% levy on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (3 ounces or 87.48 g of gold). As of 16 October 2006, nisab is approximately US $1,750 or an equivalent amount in any other currency.[21]

Sawm

Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates (like those offered by this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,[2:183–187] fasting as compensation or repentance,[2:196] and ascetic fasting.[33:35][22]

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan.[23] Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins.[23] The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to Allah, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.[24] During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, and gossip; in other words, they are expected to try to get along with each other better than normal. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.[25]

Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would be excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not allowed for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those in combat and travelers who intended to spend fewer than five days away from home. Missing fasts usually must be made up soon afterwards, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.[26][27][28][29]

Hajj

The hajj to the Kaaba in Mecca is an important practice in Islam.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah in the city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.[30] When the pilgrim is around ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets.[31] Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina, among others.[31]

The pilgrim, or the hajji, is honored in his or her community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine his or her intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement.[32]

Notes

  1. Glassé, 146-147; Rippin, 127-141.
  2. "Shahadah," Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Saskatchewan. 24 May 2007 [1].
  3. Ruthven, 147.
  4. Rippin, 129; Farah, 135
  5. Glassé, 417.
  6. "Salat" Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Saskatchewan. 24 May 2007 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t125.e2075>
  7. Kobeisy, 22-34.
  8. Rippin, 130.
  9. Quran 29:40; Kobeisy, 22-34.
  10. Hedáyetullah (2006), 53-55
  11. ibid.
  12. Sedgwick, 70-72; Hedáyetullah (2006), 53-55.
  13. "Islam", Encyclopedia of Christianity (2001).
  14. Quoted in Denny, 113.
  15. Reinhart, 2, 6.
  16. Denny, 115.
  17. Glassé, 157.
  18. Ridgeon (2003), p.258
  19. "Zakah", Encyclopaedia of Islam Online
  20. Brockopp (2000), p.140; Levy (1957) p.150; Jonsson (2006), p.244
  21. Zakat Calculator (2006-10-16). Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  22. "Fasting", Encyclopedia of the Qur'an (2005)
  23. 23.0 23.1 Farah (1994), pp.144-145
  24. Esposito (1998), p.90,91
  25. Tabatabaei (2002), p. 211,213
  26. For whom fasting is mandatory. USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
  27. Quran 2:184
  28. Khan (2006), p.54
  29. "Islam", The New Encyclopedia Britannica (2005)
  30. Farah (1994), pp.145-147
  31. 31.0 31.1 Hoiberg (2000), pp.237-238
  32. Goldschmidt (2005), p.48

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Books and journals

  • Brockopp, Jonathan and Tamara Sonn, Jacob Neusner (2000). Judaism and Islam in Practice: A Sourcebook. Routledge. ISBN 0415216737. 
  • Delcambre, Anne-Marie (2005). Inside Islam, 3rd, Marquette University Press. ISBN 1423733460. 
  • Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path, 3rd, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195112344. 
  • Farah, Caesar (1994). Islam: Beliefs and Observances, 5th, Barron's Educational Series. ISBN 978-0812018530. 
  • Goldschmidt, Jr., Arthur and Lawrence Davidson (2005). A Concise History of the Middle East, 8th, Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813342757. 
  • Hedayetullah, Muhammad (2006). Dynamics of Islam: An Exposition. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1553698425. 
  • Kobeisy, Ahmed Nezar (2004). Counseling American Muslims: Understanding the Faith and Helping the People. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 978-0313324727. 
  • Levy, Reuben (1957). The Social Structure of Islam. UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521091824. 
  • Rippin, Andrew (2003). Muslims: Vol. 2, The Contemporary Period: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780203396537. 
  • Ridgeon, Lloyd (2003). Major World Religions, 1st, RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0415297967. 
  • Ruthven, Malise (1997). Islam : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0585111219. 
  • Sedgwick, Mark J. (2006). Islam & Muslims : A Guide to Diverse Experience in a Modern. Intercultural Press. ISBN 142378717X. 
  • Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn and R. Campbell (translator) (2002). Islamic teachings: An Overview and a Glance at the Life of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Green Gold. ISBN 0-922817-00-6. 

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

  • "Encyclopedia of Christianity". (1st edition). (2001). Ed. Erwin Fahlbusch, William Geoffrey Bromiley. Eerdmans Publishing Company, and Brill. ISBN 0-8028-2414-5.
  • "Encyclopaedia of Islam Online".. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
  • "Encyclopedia of Religious Rites, Rituals, and Festivals". (1st edition). (2004). Ed. Salamone Frank. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415941808.
  • "The New Encyclopedia of Islam". (Revised edition). (2001). Ed. Glassé, Cyril. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 0759101892.
  • "Oxford Dictionary of Islam Online".. Ed. John L. Esposito, editor in chief. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195125584.

See also

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